Something Twisted This Way Comes
by Sugar Spook
Summary: The Storybook of Legends was there for a reason. It assured the students safety at the price of pre-written lives. Nothing could veer off track and therefor no one could get hurt. But after Legacy Year, when the students of Ever After High decide not to sign the book, their destinies turn darker than ever imagined, and a curse descends on the children of famous fairytales.
1. Dark Subversion

**Chapter One: Dark Subversion**

Blondie Lockes had been eaten by bears.

The news had spread through the kingdom like wildfire, first in loud shrieks and sobs but then quickly dying to suspicious whispers. Whispers that were accompanied with narrowed eyes and pointed glares. This was not how Blondie's story was supposed to end. The Storybook of Legends had a very strict plot; first Blondie would eat the porridge, break a chair, and fall asleep in a young bears bed. Afterwards, when the bears found her she was mercilessly chastised for her selfish and careless behavior, but left ultimately reformed, if not a touch shaken. She was supposed to leave her story alive. And, if the crime scene was any proof, that had not been the case.

Goldie Lockes, Blondie's mother, was beyond hysterics. At least, that's what the press had reported. The usually so collected and charismatic woman hadn't left her house, or even opened the door to people coming to wish their condolences and comfort her. Usually, Goldie would've jumped at a chance to talk to the press. Being a news anchor herself before her daughter's birth, the woman had reported the delightful, and predictable tales of her own friends' stories as they came true one by one. Anyone could've guessed how ecstatic she was for her own daughter, especially being the first one to fulfill her destiny. However, instead of a chipper celebrational speech that she so often delivered, the only thing the press could catch were choked sobs and silent, tear-filled screams heard through the walls of the Locke's manor and in the streets of the magical cul-de-sac that it resided on. "This is just not right! It's not _right!_" No one would, or could, argue with her.

No one knew exactly what happened. There were rumors that Blondie had picked up Baby bear to make sure he wasn't too small and scrawny to survive come the nearing winter, causing Mama bear to become enraged and act out of instinct. Other's said that family of bears weren't even a family and instead were a pack of wild animals that barged into the house before Blondie could even finish her fairytale. Some were trying to blame Blondie for her own death, searching for holes in story, or insisting that it was even the wrong story from her in the first place. _If she didn't belong to that story, it's no wonder she had an violent ending,_ people would hiss. _Everyone knows that you're cursed if you try to go into another person's fairytale!_

And who could blame them? No story had a sour ending for Royals since the dark ages! Blondie had been assured a happily ever, and according to law, science, magic, and every single generation of Lockes before her, that destiny should have happened. If only there was something they could blame. Or someone.

The quick, vicious whispers had not escaped the quaint town of Book End, where locals cast wary and sometimes accusatory glares at the former students of Ever After High. Even the kingdom's darling, Apple White, hadn't been spared the evil eye. The blustery weather of fall wasn't the only thing making Apple shiver. She was getting the cold shoulder from most of the non-fairytale folk that resided in the town. They'd turn their heads to whisper at her as she passed them, each dirty look or muttered curse word thrown her way felt like thorns in her heart. But a future ruler of her kingdom did not crack under pressure; if there was anything to be learned from this, it was how to remain dignified under scrutiny from the public. The young woman held her chin aloft, soft blonde curls bouncing as she made her way to her friend's tea shop.

The usually busy and buzzing Haberdashery was closed for the day, but a large number of people still sat inside, shifting nervously in levitating chairs that surrounded a long dining table topped with a checker-board patterned tablecloth. Platters of pastries already stood untouched the in the middle of the table, along with steaming pots of tea and towers of cups and saucers. Objects would float to and fro above the customers heads offering refills or general merriment to the somber crowd. Apple let out a sigh of relief when she saw it was only people she knew. An understatement, considering her popularity at school, but these were all people she dearly loved. She opened the doors, and hearing the familiar 'cuckoo, cuckoo' it triggered, and all heads snapped around to look at her. Also something she was used to. Except instead of the friendly smiles and adoring gazes she usually received, all her friend's faces were pinched with worry, each wearing a frown or a scowl.

The future queen took a deep breath. These people needed a leader. She was their leader, and she needed to help them. Apple supposed that she would figure out just _how_ to help them as she went along.

"Everyone. I know just how… shocking this is. But we've all gathered here- thank you by the way, Maddie, for letting us rent out the Tea Shoppe for the day- we've all gathered here to voice our thoughts about Blondie's… about what happened to Blondie. And it means so much that you've all come. To see how many of her friends could show her support today, really just shows how spelltacular she was." Apple tried to keep her tone light, yet dignified, but she couldn't help it from wobbling at the very end. She quickly looked for an empty chair and took a seat at the head of the table. As Apple sat down, she found that the chair lifted from the ground several inches, like the others. But, instead of bobbing merrily through the room, it floated listlessly in one place as if it felt heartbroken over Blondie's death as well.

There was a pregnant pause after her speech, and Apple surveyed the room. The others still needed a little push to open up about their feelings. She looked to her left, where Briar sat with her sunglasses over her eyes; then to the right, where Raven Queen lazily pushed the tip of a butter knife across the table. Some of their eyes, particularly the Rebel's, had turned downward to stare in their laps. "Would anyone like to say a few words, about Blondie? Or anything, really." Apple continued.

Madeline Hatter, or Maddie as she was affectionately called, bounced maniacally over with a steaming teapot and set it on the table in front of Apple. Lifting her hat, the vividly colorful haired girl unceremoniously pulled out a china teacup on a painted saucer and set it in front of her as well "To rewind the clock/ to unpick the vine/ the cub covets not until next time."

To unpick the what? Apple narrowed her eyes for a moment, lips mouthing the words as if saying them again could construct the riddle into something she could easily understand. Cedar Wood, sitting directly at the other end of the table, cocked her head and raised her hand as if she was still in class. "Um, Maddie? I mean, I don't want to speak for everybody but what did you say?" A few people nodded, as Riddlish still wasn't a commonly known language, even though more refugees from Wonderland were arriving through looking glasses and rabbit holes almost daily. Apple made a mental note when she became queen to make Riddlish a required language in her kingdom. And also, start taking Riddlish lessons from someone. Still, she felt thankful that Cedar voiced her concerns despite the tense atmosphere, otherwise no one would've caught a word Maddie had said. Leave it to Cedar to always tell the truth.

"Oh? Oh! Sorry." Maddie's toothy grin snapped to life, though it looked much more strained and watered down than a few days ago. She took the liberty of pouring Cedar's tea for her. "This is Blueberry Bombspell tea! Blondie's favorite. She would come in every Monday on her free period for a cup…" The grin faltered as she trailed off, staring into space. The tea began to overflow from Cedar's cup, but as it hit the tablecloth the drops shot up again as if they were rubber balls. They bounced along the checkerboard pattern until they landed squarely in Apple's cup, filling it just before the brim. Apple let herself smile, taking comfort in the small oddity. Though the Wonderland Haberdashery and Tea Shoppe wasn't exactly the best place for mourning, it never failed to raise your spirits, even just a little bit.

As Apple raised the cup to her lips and took a sip, she heard a kind voice pipe up next to Briar. Ashlynn, the pumpkin-haired daughter of Cinderella, was speaking into her tea. "Blondie would always come here for tea and porridge when she had to edit her Mirrorcast. After her crew was done editing, of course. She said that it had to be just right." she finished with a sad laugh, tracing the rim of her cup with her finger.

Someone sighed across the table, and as she looked up Apple could see Dexter shaking his head. "That blog was her life. She was always coming up with new ideas, like, on the hour. Do you guys remember that episode when she wanted to prove whether or not there were mermaids living the grotto on the edge of the enchanted forest? She made me dive all the way to the bottom to get the perfect shot. I swear I almost died!"

A few people around Dexter laughed, and the young prince smiled. Looking back, that had been one of the better episodes Blondie had done. The laughter quieted down into uncomfortable silence once people realized the "d-word" had been used, and Dexter slunk back into his chair, looking embarrassed. Raven, sitting next to his left, put a reassuring hand on his shoulder and gave Dexter a smile. The younger Charming brother returned it, half of his face buried in his scarf. "It's okay, Dex."

"We might as well start saying it now, right?" Raven continued. "Blondie's dead." She tried to sound like her usual semi-snarky self, but 'dead' still sounded strangled when it escaped her lips. "She died and we have to accept that."

"I think everyone accepts it, Raven." snapped Ashlynn from across the table. "I mean, no one's saying she isn't. Maybe you could just be a little more sensitive to people who knew Blondie better. It's harder for us."

Raven scoffed, standing up to face Ashlynn directly. "Blondie and I were just as good of friends as you two were."

Rising in return, Ashlynn balled her hands into fists and put them huffily onto her hips. "Come on, Raven you two weren't exactly best friends forever after."

"That doesn't mean I don't care about her!" Raven shouted, slamming her hands down on the edge of the grand dining table. Other people stood from their seats as well, raising their voices to try and accuse or settle the arguers. There were only a few people left in their seats besides Apple herself: Cerise Hood who was attempting to pull the hood of her cloak over her eyes, C.A. Cupid who was veiling her face with a pink curtain of hair and didn't seem to notice the argument, and Briar who appeared to have dozed off.

Apple shook Briar's shoulder trying to wake her friend so she could help Apple end the fight. To her surprise, Briar reacted immediately. "What," she snapped, raising her pink tinted sunglasses to stare at Apple with raised eyebrows.

"Are you hearing this?" Apple gestured to the shouting teens before them. Most people who defending Raven were fellow rebels who had fewer shared moments with Blondie. The Royals, on the other hand, were used to having Blondie as a straggler for their clique and considered her an honorary Royal herself. Seeing as their relationship with her to have been more intimate than the Rebels, they backed up Ashlynn wholeheartedly. Maddie, completely avoiding the fight, distracted herself by refilling tea cups and presenting platters of wonder-filled treats and pastries that sadly went unnoticed during the spat. She attempted to busy herself in the shop by cleaning, dusting, Irish river dancing, and Apple swore that the girl was trying to create a makeshift croquet court out of cups, plates and spatulas.

Briar turned her head to get a glimpse of them all and shrugged. "Yeah, so? I mean, you know I have like super good hearing anyway. Blondie's dead, Apple. I get it."

Her friend's harsh words were so shocking that Apple's mouth dropped wide open. Blondie wasn't going to be woken by True Love's Kiss. There was blood at the crime scene. There were tufts of hair, and limbs… and, well the short story was the funeral wasn't exactly an open casket. Didn't Briar understand just how bad this was? Didn't Briar care at all about their friends who were an insult away from chucking hot tea at one another?

"Excuse me?" Apple said, standing and waving her arms to get everyone's attention. "Everybody calm down!" They were so wrapped up in their insults they didn't even notice her. The topic had veered off who cared about Blondie more and they were now bringing up little things from the past. Hunter was pointing at Daring and accusing him of stealing his mirror the night of Thronecoming, while Ashlynn was scolding Dexter about siding with Raven over her. It was Cedar, the farthest away from Apple, who saw the blonde's waving arms and let out a loud whistle. "_Everyone hang on a splinter!_"

Everyone's head whipped around to look at Cedar, who promptly looked as if she was blushing. It was hard to tell since she didn't have any blood to blush with. "Um, Apple was, uh, trying to say something? ...Right, Apple?"

Apple gave Cedar a charming, but grateful smile and nodded. "None of this matters. It doesn't matter who was better friends with Blondie; what matters is that we need to talk about how this affects us. All of us." Apple said, spreading her arms to gesture at them all. "I know you guys are coping the best you can, and I'm trying too, but we need to open up without yelling."

Smoothing out her signature skirt, Apple sat down as an example for the others to follow. They did, looking both sheepish and annoyed. "Who would like to start?"

Daring stood up again, this time his booming voice was a note quieter. "If you ask me, we have to start thinking about our own destinies. No offense Raven, but if Legacy Day went as planned then our futures wouldn't be up in the air."

Raven threw up her arms, slinking back in her seat with an exaggerated eye roll. "Oh my Grimm, I can't _believe _you're bl-"

With a quick toss of his golden locks, Daring shook his head. "I'm not saying that Blondie's death was all your fault, but she didn't sign the Storybook of Legends either. " He surveyed the room, his gaze meeting everyone else's. "We need to find out if what happened to Blondie can happen to the rest of us, and stop it before it does."

Daring was getting a lot better at public speaking, Apple noted. He truly would make a fine king one day. She stood up out of her seat and moved so she could stand next to him. "Has anyone's fairytale begun already?" She asked, and then turned to look at Ashlynn. "Ashlynn, how's your mother been feeling?"

The daughter of Cinderella crossed her arms over her chest and leaned into herself. She looked smaller than before, her eyes cast downward to look at her beautiful glass heels that were always present on her feet. "She's been just fine. No health problems or anything. I-I didn't sign the book, my mom shouldn't be getting sick anyway."

"And she won't, pumpkin, don't worry." Hunter, Ashlynn's boyfriend, put an arm around her shoulders and pulled the girl in for a quick hug. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the top of her head, and Ashlynn leaned into him, closing her eyes. Apple felt a twinge of annoyance at this display. If Hunter hadn't decided to sweep Ashlynn off her slippers, she might not have to worry about her future in the first place. Everything would've gone according to plan, and Ash would've been happy in the end.

"What about you, Briar?" Apple asked, looking back at her best friend forever after.

Briar curled her lip, and didn't meet Apple's eye. Instead she held out her fingernails, checking to see if there were any chips or smudges in her mani-curse. "What _about_ me?"

The future queen dropped the subject, taken aback by Briar's mood today but knowing that if she pushed it, Briar would come unglued. One of Briar's best friends had just be killed a few days ago, Apple reasoned, it was perfectly normal to be in a bad mood for a spell.

Maddie's multicolored head popped up, and she took a seat next to Cedar as if she had been there the entire time and not performing miscellaneous activities as fast as a hare. It seemed the bustling about had calmed the mad girl's nerves a touch as well. "What I'd like to know," she said, sounding calmer than any of the rest, "Is if the others are right as rain or… have already gone down the drain." She ended her verse with a whistle, twirling her finger in the air to mimic water spiraling downwards.

Straightening out in her chair, Raven spoke, her voice ringing with a curious clarity captivated her audience and, to be honest, had always made Apple ever so envious. The moody girl seemed to have settled some, as her cheeks weren't so red from indignation. She leaned over the table, lanky frame folding into a small 'c' and rested her hands on the edge. "You're right, Maddie. We're not the only fairytales at risk, and Blondie might be the start of something truly wicked. We need to check on everyone we know to make sure they're still okay. …And, no one get mad at me okay, but I think we should at least postpone writing _or _re-writing any of our stories until we know for sure what we're dealing with.

A few groans and eye rolls erupted from around the table. Apple could see Raven prickling up again, ready to lash out at anyone who argued with her. She knew Raven's mannerisms quite well by now, after sharing a room with her for nine months, and when Raven became defensive she always scrunched her shoulders up by her ears and narrowed her eyes into slits. A striking look, really, for the future evil queen. It made Raven's trademark purple eyeshadow look like dark flames dancing on her eyelids. Letting out a sigh, Apple leaned to her right, closer to Raven, and gave her ex-roommate a sad but comforting smile. "No, Raven is right, everyone. There's a serious danger here, and it's safer if we all pressed 'pause' on our destinies for a spell. Even if we're going to follow them. ...I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

There were a few nodding heads before Cerise Hood stood up and pulled her enchanted crimson cloak back a little, away from her stunning silver eyes. "I can lead a search pack for the rest of our friends. It's the least I can do."

Dexter nodded, getting up and walking over join Cerise. "Yeah, good idea. I'm totally coming. A-are you coming, Raven? I mean, you and anyone else really, haha…"

Apple rolled her eyes, but fondly. After all this time Dexter still hadn't worked up the courage to ask Raven out on a date. She didn't understand how Raven was clueless about Dexter's feelings for her. Either she hadn't said anything about it or she really was that dense when it came to boys. Apple, on the other hand, was getting invitations to balls when she was still nearly a nursery rhyme, so she had plenty of experience with smitten princes. Raven was more of a wallflower, and it made perfect sense that she was so oblivious to any crushes that were aimed her way.

Maddie's giggly language brought Apple back from her daydream, and back to reality. "I know exactly who to talk to about this! Giles Grimm, you all remember Giles, right? About yay tall, crazy-wild hair, speaks only in riddles? If anyone would know what this is all about, it's him."

Daring nodded once and pounded his fist on the table rather dramatically "It's settled then! We should form teams, to save time. Maddie, you're the only one who can speak Riddlish here, so I need you on my team."

"Wait a tick, I thought _I _was leading the 'Talk to Giles Grimm About Our Bloody Demise' team?" Maddie pouted.

"No, that would be me." Daring clarified, catched his reflection in a mirror hanging across the room, and giving himself a quick once-over.

"Okay, Cerise, Dexter and I are going to check on all our friends. Would Cupid and Huntlynn like to join us?" Raven snarked, using her pet name for the inseparable couple.

Hunter scoffed, but pulled Ashlynn in closer and kissed her temple. Ashlynn confirmed they were coming by sticking her tongue playfully out at Raven. Cupid simply remained silent.

"And I'll go with Daring and Maddie. Briar, Cedar? Are you coming with us?" Apple asked, dropping into that soft, questioning when she aimed her question at Briar. Her friend could be as prickly as rose vine when she was in a mood. Cedar nodded enthusiastically and Briar simply shrugged in response. That was… better, right?

Suddenly, with a flutter of feathers, Cupid stood up from her seat. Her petal-pink locks of hair fell back from her face to reveal bloodshot eyes and a quivering lower lip. An immediate hush fell over the room as she took a gaspy breath, trying to keep her voice steady. "Blondie was an a-amazing friend. She was so sweet to me, on my first day, and she really made me feel at h-h-home. Y'know, I really try to stay positive but she could always see when I wasn't feeling just right and I didn't think I could ever repay her for her kindness. Now I never can, and… I can't believe all of you!"

Tears started to fall from Cupids eyes, dripping silently onto the tablecloth. She furiously tried to wipe them away with the back of her hand. "I thought we were coming here today to spellebrate just how much Blondie meant to each of us! And we're… we're only thinking of ourselves! This isn't just right."

No one really knew what to say after Cupid's outburst. A few people sat back down in their seats, some whispered apologies under their breath. Cedar looked like she was about to burst into tears as well. Dexter, always sensitive to anyone's problems, started to move over to Cupid, but Raven reached her first, placing a gentle hand on the young elemental's shoulder. "Cupid, I'm sor-"

The angelic girl recoiled as Raven touched her, as if her hand was boiling hot. "Don't. _Even_. Talk to me, Raven Queen." She spat, slapping the Raven's hand away from her. Raven stood there, dumbstruck. Cupid was normally so sweet and loving, she had never seen the girl lash out both physically or verbally at anyone else during her entire stay at Ever After High. Indeed, Cupid herself seemed just as shocked at her behavior, her glower wavering for just a second before she pushed her chair back and swiftly walked to the door. She turned her back, pausing before she walked out of the room to turn to her fellow fairytales. "Just leave me alone."

She let the door swing shut behind her, and Raven flinched as the sound echoed through the shop. Both Apple and Dexter moved towards Raven to comfort her, but she waved them both off, shaking her hands. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Really, I'm okay. I'm sure Cupid and I will make up later. Right now, we have to hocus-focus on the plan. Cerise, Dex, Ash, Hunter and I will try to find everyone we can and make sure they don't start their tales yet. It might take a while, so when the rest you are finished talking to Giles Grimm, meet us back here at the Haberdashery to regroup. Briar, can you keep us posted via hext?"

Briar nodded, giving Raven a mock-salute with her spellphone. "You got it, witch."

"And everyone, remember," Apple said, interjecting, "Stay safe and stay on the path. Nothing bad will happen if we all stay together."

Cedar nodded, walking over to Apple's side and looping her arm around the blonde's, nudging her with her shoulder. Apple relaxed, giving her friend an appreciative smile. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daring rush over to his little brother and pull him into a giant bear hug, practically squeezing the air out of the younger prince. "You'll promise to stay safe, brother?"

Dexter let out a wheeze that sounded close enough to 'I promise' to Daring's satisfaction, and he released his brother from his vice-like grip. Adjusting the crown that doubled as a headband, Dexter straightened himself out as the rest of the group said goodbye. He leaned over towards Raven, cheeks still flushed both from embarrassment and lack of oxygen. "I'll keep hexting Cupid to see if she's okay. It isn't you, Raven, I'm sure."

Raven spoke quietly, wrapping the uneaten half of her salted caramel tart in a cloth napkin and tucking it into her silver clutch. "I know. This is hard for everyone. I'm used to getting a lot of blame, Dex, I'm not gonna take it to heart."

After Maddie wished her father a quick and confusing goodbye, they split into their two teams at the door. They all looked nervous, as if they all somehow knew, deep down, that this was just another way of denying what happened to Blondie- not talking about it and instead distracting themselves with other things. Even if those things were deathly important. Once they went their separate ways to complete their goals, Apple found herself linking arms with Cedar again, for comfort. Apple thought Legacy year was a confusing ride- she had no idea what to make of this. For the first time in a long time, she felt a vein of fear pulse deep within her; what if it didn't matter if you chose to follow your heart or your destiny? After all, everyone was destined to die. She prayed that Blondie would be the only one of her friends to die young.

AN:  
Okay, so there are a few things I should say. Firstly, no I haven't read the books yet. I have them ordered and they're on their way but it'll take a while so I'm just going off of what I've seen so far for each character. If I'm missing something huge: PLEASE TELL ME! I'll love you forever! Also, I'm holding off on the Charming family's curse but I know it's going to be juicy and once I find out what it is, it's 99% assured that it's going to be in here. Finally, I love reviews and I appreciate any and all of them, and I really do take them to heart when writing.

As far as Between the Bones is concerned, I have three shiny chapters that are all half-finished. I know, I'm sorry! I hit massive writers block, but it's still totally undead. I know some of you requested Frankie/Jackson/Holt and I'm just gonna say that if any of you love that pairing then you'll be pretty pleased with at least one of my chapters. Thank you guys so much for reading, and I'll see you next chapter!


	2. Malodorous

Cerise was practically impossible to keep up with as she sprinted down the maze of roads and sidestreets, her cloak trailing out behind her like a scarlet cape. Even in her platform boots she was wickedly fast, darting down the cobblestone streets and cutting behind buildings. People gasped as she rushed by them, the wind created by the wake of her cape causing clothing to rustle and papers to fly out of the grasp of innocent bystanders. She seemed to know the town of Book End like the back of her hand, not even pausing to check the street signs or building for familiarity before making sharp turns.

The rest of the group was not doing as well as their leader, with the exception of Hunter. The huntsman had learned to run before he could even walk without toppling over; it was a necessary skill to have when one was always on alert for damsels in distress. While he wasn't as fast as the cloaked girl, he was able to stay close enough behind her to make out which way she had gone. Bumping on his back was Ashlynn, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck in a way that couldn't have been comfortable for either of them. Even though she wasn't running herself, the piggyback-ride was obviously taxing for her, and her sunkissed face had gone a shade pale.

Finally, Cerise came to her destination, skidding to a stop as her friends huffed and puffed from behind her. Her face fell as she looked over at a large fountain and saw the person she'd chased down; she was not looking forward to this conversation.

Sparrow Hood sat on the edge of the town fountain with his usual crew of Merry Men. They hadn't been hard to find at all, since Cerise's sensitive nose could pick up the lingering aroma of Axeman bodyspray hung about them from miles away. The rest of the group didn't look very pleased to see the Merry Men either. Hunter even let out an audible groan, but that might have been due to Ashlynn daintily slipping off his back (and not-so-daintily kicking his shin by accident).

"Was he really your first choice?" Raven whispered to her friend, and Cerise nodded.

"He was the closest. Besides, Sparrow will be the most likely to spread any information we have around. He isn't really known to keep quiet." she said, tugging her hood farther over her hairline. Cerise wasted no time in marching up to Sparrow, who straightened when he saw her approaching.

"Cerise, in-the-Hood, _YEAH_!" He shouted in greeting, jumping up on both feet and striking and exuberant pose on the fountain. He hit a power chord on his ever-present guitar that received a few whistles and cheers from his friends. Cerise looked up at him with an exaggerated eye roll; she and Sparrow were distant cousins, but they had grown up together as kids and Cerise was so used to Sparrow's behavior that she'd be worried if he didn't scream every other sentence. Her returned her look with a smirk. "What's up? Are you here to finally admit that you're in love with me?"

"Ew! Don't be gross, Sparrow. I just want to talk to you." Cerise said, grimacing at the thought of locking lips with the fedora'd rocker.

"You wanna 'talk'?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively, turning his head to shoot a grin to his friends. She pulled her hood farther over her eyes in embarrassment, and looked down at the ground. Even though she was more confident now that she had been at the start of the school year, the feeling of people mocking her still made Cerise want to go 'poof'.

Since going 'poof' wasn't an option at the moment, Cerise chose the second best one. Grabbing Sparrow by the studded collar of his vest, she yanked him off the fountain and started walking across the courtyard with him in tow. If Sparrow tried to struggle away, Cerise didn't notice. Either her strength was too great, or Sparrow didn't want to tear custom vest in an attempt to get away. "Yes, talk. _Alone."_

"What's there to talk about," he croaked, his voice an octave higher than normal.

Cerise cast a glance over at her friends, who were watching her with quizzical looks. Turning back to her cousin, she leaned closer into him, speaking quickly and softly. "You heard about Blondie, right?"

"Uh, yeah I did! That's pretty much all anyone's talking about on MyChapter. Jeez, Cerise, is that all you came to tell me? You could've saved yourself the troub-"

He cut himself off with a sharp 'ouch' quickly after Cerise elbowed him in the side "Of course not, featherhead; I wouldn't spread gossip around, especially not to you! It's something important, alright?" Cerise continued as Sparrow muttered a few choice words under his breath.

"A few of us are really worried that Blondie died because she decided to start her destiny. Nothing should have gone wrong, and everyone knows that the Bears in Blondie's suburbs have been vegetarians for generations. They have really strict animal control too, it doesn't make sense. There might be… a possibility that something weird is happening to stories. We thought we should tell people not to pursue their destinies until the case is over."

Sparrow was rubbing his side "And why tell me?"

"Why not," She sighed after Sparrow raised an eyebrow at her, his smile slowly finding its way back to his face. "Fine. Because, contrary to popular believe I don't completely hate you."

"I do." Hunter piped up, his voice flat. He and the others had followed Cerise and Sparrow, standing a respectful two feet away. "I hate you. I just wanted to make that clear."

Hunter wrapped a muscular arm over Ashlynn's shoulders, who released a frustrated harrumph in response, and the two boys exchanged a glare. Sparrow turned to Cerise again, his back to the couple. Apparently, Cerise thought to herself, they still had some bad blood between them. She never knew why the two suddenly began to hate each other, but she figured that Ashlynn might have something to do with it. Every time Sparrow was near the couple, Hunter suddenly became 'Mr. Protective'.

"What I meant was," Sparrow continued, "Why should I care? I'm not even doing that whole destiny thing. _Destiny is ov-er-rated, YEAH!_"

Raven spoke up. "Could you at least spread the word? Even with Cerise's spelltastic running skills, we won't be able to tell everyone fast enough. Don't you know anyone who could be really hurt by this?"

Sparrow's eyes widened, and a light seemed to switch on in his head. "Duchess." He said, and was over to his guitar case in a three sharp strides. He tucked his instrument away in it and returned to where the gang was standing, calling over his shoulder to his band members. "I'm going to go find Duchess, men. I'll be back later."

While his words were definitive, his voice wobbled as he spoke.

As the others followed the guitarist, Dexter leaned into Raven, whispering into her ear. "Do you know what Duchess's destiny is? I know I should know by now, but I can't remember. Isn't she going to be cursed to dance forever?"

"No that's… oh, wait I totally forgot her name! It's on the tip of my tongue, too… Her mom owns the Red Shoes dance club though, I know that." Raven whispered back, and Dexter nodded in agreement. "To be honest, I don't know Duchess's destiny either," she replied, "I've always wanted to ask her, but talking to her is always awkward and I've taken such a long time to ask that it would feel even _more _awkward…"

Raven trailed off as she noticed that the space between her and Dexter had become practically non-existent. They were shoulder to shoulder, and their heads were ducked in so close that their noses almost touched. She could literally count his eyelashes. As she felt Dexter's fingers accidentally brush her forearm she took an exaggerated step back and busied herself by coming out her hair, which was still frizzy from the run. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dexter blush and shove his hands into his pockets.

The group found Duchess by side of Faybelle Thorn, peering at a few flyers on the large windows of The Twelve Sisters' Dance Emporium. She was standing on the wooden toes of her ballet slippers, trying to get a better look at a one flyer that was too high for her to see, even with the extra inches in height she had on most of the girls in school. When Sparrow saw her, he quickly broke off from the group and called out her name, waving one arm in the air.

Raven and Dexter started to follow him, but Ashlynn caught Raven's wrist before she could interrupt the two. "I don't think that's a good idea, we should let them talk it out on their own." She said, shaking her head.

"He might need our help," Raven countered, looking the princess dead in the eye.

"I don't think so; Sparrow and Duchess are really good friends, they don't need you or anyone else to talk for them. They'll understand each other." As Ashlynn spoke, Duchess's eyes narrowed and she jabbed a finger into Sparrow's chest. Raven raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms and smirking her trademark 'I told you so' expression.

Ashlynn just looked unimpressed, "You're still not going over there."

Cerise shuffled in a semicircle, trying not to eavesdrop on Sparrow and Duchess even though the tips of her furry ears twitched instinctively. She tried to focus on something else instead, like the delicious, wafting aroma of dragon-fillets being broiled in the restaurant across the street. There was another scent in the air she couldn't place, heavy and somewhat putrid, like chemicals left to fester in the sun. Maybe someone had forgotten to empty a dumpster?

Cerise began to zone out, her eyes cast downwards at her feet. The thought of rebelling was already such an astounding concept to her, one that opened so many doors, one that could unite her family for good. No more hiding, no more secrets. But Blondie was a Royal, the kind with a happy ending, and she was someone who didn't stray from her predestined path as far as Cerise knew. Why had her story ended so gruesomely? Did she try to back out of it at the last minute, rebelling and throwing everything off balance? Or did Blondie do everything by the book and still end up inside the belly of a bear? Cerise preferred the former; if Blondie had done everything like she should've, yet somehow ended dead anyway Cerise didn't want to know what happened to Rebels who tried to tempt the fates.

She wondered how her story would differ, if it would at all. What if the axeman struck her instead of the wolf? What if she was eaten as well, suffocating inside a wolf's gut without a Huntsman to rescue her or just simply chewed and swallowed? What if… What if she was the one doing the eating? Cerise blinked at the thought, not completely repulsed by it. It was certainly _possible._ She had inherited her father's abilities as a skin-walker, even though her control over the powers was practically nonexistent. That could be aided by carrying a wolf pelt, but the thought of wearing the carcass of her fellow animal made her sick. Sicker than the idea of devouring her beloved grandmother, to whom she had always been close.

Cerise furrowed her brow in concern, not liking where these thoughts were going. Thinking about all this death was probably really unhealthy for her, she rationalized. That's why the idea of slurping rubbery tendons down her throat as if they were a bowl of linguine seemed so vivid. The taste of warm and tangy blood, spreading through every cranny of her mouth, was more of a memory than a musing and she felt herself salivate at the thought. But it was the idea of sinking her teeth deep into a fresh, spongy slab of meat and feeling the power of her jaw as she ground the flesh into a pulp was the most tantalizing. Cerise could _smell _it, the promise of a feast. She inhaled deeply, and let out a shuddering breath to calm her nerves, now sharper than ever.

Mmm… _Nerves._ She wondered what the texture of those was like.

A hand on her shoulder snapped her away from her tasty daydreaming, and she suddenly noticed a that there was an inch-long strand of drool dangling from the corner of her mouth. Cerise frantically wiped her face, ignoring the pounding of her heart and the burn in her cheeks from embarrassment, or perhaps excitement.

Ashlynn peered around at Cerise, her face pressed into a concerned frown. Tucked under her arm was a pink box, sloppily tied with a ribbon and splattered with tape. "Cerise?"

Cerise turned sheepishly to face the others who were, to her horror, all staring at her. "Um, y-yeah?"

"We just got a hext from Briar, she said they're ready to meet us back at the Haberdashery. Are you ready to go, or do you want to tell anyone else?" Ashlynn's voice was soft and prying, somehow only making Cerise feel worse.

Cerise shook her hooded head. "Telling Sparrow isn't enough. We can't just stop at one person and call it a day."

"To be fair," Dexter chimed in "Sparrow told Duchess and Duchess told Faybelle, and we just told Hopper, so that's not a bad amount."

Hopper had been here? Cerise started to ask when that had happened but promptly remembered the few minutes that had passed while she was thinking about carnage, and quickly snapped it closed.

"That's still not enough. We have to at least see Poppy, she could warn all her customers to be careful." Cerise said, not meeting anyone's eye. They had to lean in to hear her mutter the reply, which in turn made her shrink back into her cloak.

Raven took a step toward her, giving her shoulder comforting squeeze. "That sounds like a hexellent idea, Cerise. It's on the way anyway, it's not like we'll have to run a marathon again."

Casting her eyes up through her blunt bangs, Cerise looked at her friend and nodded hesitantly. Raven always seemed to know how to make her feel a little more confident. Maybe it was the confidence that radiated from Raven herself, so sure of her own dreams even when most of the school resented her for it. Turning to the others, Cerise nodded again, this time firmly. "So that's the plan. Is that okay with everyone?"

A tiny chorus of sures and yeahs rang out, and together the group turned on their heels and began to head towards The Tower Hair Salon. The pace was reduced to a brisk walk instead of the previous sprint, and Cerise had to consciously remind herself to slow down because she was the only one in the group with a speed-enhancing cloak. Raven walked at Cerise's side, their steps synchronizing.

"You spaced out back there, Cerise. What are you thinking about?" Raven asked, her tone thankfully blithe.

A tiny nag pulled at Cerise's heartstrings. She really wanted to confide in someone about what had just happened to her, but how could she possibly phrase it in a way that didn't traumatize her friends? Instead of coming clean, she met Raven's gaze to put her friend at ease. After a moment's hesitation, Cerise shrugged.

"Lunch."


	3. Earworm

A page away, Daring Charming lead Apple, Maddie, and Briar into the school grounds of Ever After High. Cedar Wood stayed two steps behind them, bringing up the rear. It was just as well, the walk to their school had been spent in great breaths of awkward silence. A fog was thickly spreading it's way through the air, making the thick, obvious kind of silence even more obvious. Sometimes Maddie would chime in with a chipper non-sequitur to ease the growing tension in the group but even her colorful personality had been sobered by their morbid quest.

Still, the chipper girl was not to be deterred by her friends' frowny faces, or she wouldn't if she could even see their faces in this weather. If they were going to be grumpy, well that didn't mean Maddie had to be too! The teacup-shaped heels of her shoes clicked merrily on the rain-slick street, making a pleasant beat amidst the silence. Absentmindedly, Maddie began to hum a cheery melody in time to her footsteps. It was a song she and her father used to sing every second tuesday, at tea time (the second tea time of the day, of course). While it made her a touch nostalgic, it was a warm kind of nostalgia that made the dreariest of situations not seem as bad.

After repeating the melody several times, she heard a deeper baritone join her, humming the tune an octave lower. Out of the corner of her eye Maddie saw Daring nodding his head to the beat of her footsteps, humming in time with her. He caught her looking at him and gave her a wink before quickly turning his gaze back to the road ahead of them. Soon, more of her friends joined in the song; Briars deeper, honeyed voice joined her in the melody, while the more modulated Apple hummed an impromptu harmony in her polished soprano. Maddie could even hear Cedars flat, croaky notes every now and then.

Their footsteps had created a steady beat, marching in tandem all the way to the manicured lawns of Ever After High. The fog that hung over the land grew thinner around the school, and Maddie could finally see her friends. Her smile was stretched into a grin that would make a Cheshire proud, and her friends' smiles weren't half bad either.

They finished the final round of the song as the group reached the large marble staircase in front of the school, everyone seeming to be in higher spirits. Even Briar, who's mouth had been pinched into a frown ever since they'd met in the Habberdashery, soften slightly and was sharing a glance with Apple. The cheer they shared lingered until they reached the Headmaster's office.

Daring, the self appointed leader strode towards the large oaken doors and attempted to open them, but they didn't budge. He shot an anxious look behind him, and was met with a sea of uneasy expressions. Daring tried the handle again. "Headmaster? We come with urgent news!"

Maddie flounced to the doors, pressing her ear against the hard, shiny wood. From inside she could hear a frantic rustling of papers, as if someone was crunching them quite violently in an effort to clear them off a desk. She could also hear thudding footsteps, and a sharp yelp that was muffled by the wooden barrier between them. Maddie spoke into cupped hands in a sing-song tone, "Yoo-hoo, Headmaster Grimm! Are you playing hide and go seek in there all by your lonesome? You can't play that without some friends!"

"Go away! Go away, no questions please, I am very busy," came a voice from the other side. Daring tried the handle again, but it didn't budge.

"Okay, I'm gonna say it. It'd be really nice to have Blondie with us right now," Briar said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot in agitation. Or was it worry? Maybe her head was just a little wobbly, but Maddie could've sworn she'd seen Briar's hands trembling. Next to her, Apple sighed the daintiest little sigh imaginable, and kneeled down on the floor. She tucked a platinum blonde curl behind her ear.

"I really wish I didn't have to do this," Apple said, but shrugged in resignation. She took another deep breath, and then sung out. The sweet, simple melody filled the room, and fell down the stairs, calling the critters of the school to her. In a matter of seconds, the vocals were accompanied by the skittering taps of tiny paws. Half a dozen mice scampered up the tall staircase and arranged themselves at Apple's feet, standing on their hind legs and looking up at her with beady black eyes. Apple clapped her hands together happily, and beamed at the mice. She then laid her palm down on the stone floor and let the smallest of the mice climb into her hand.

"Hello, there! Thank you for coming. My friends and I are in a bit of a jam. Do you think you could be a dear and help us unlock that big door over there? It's very important," She spoke to the mouse as if it was just a secret between the two of them.

The mouse looked hesitant for a moment, and looked down at it's friends for confirmation. They seemed just as confused. The daughter of Snow White, asking them to break into the headmaster's office? Normally, Apple White was a goodie-two-slippers.

"I promise it's for a very good reason," Apple said earnestly. She fluttered her eyelashes, and smiled a wide, sweet smile. After a moment's pause, the mouse nodded and squeaked in confirmation.

"Oh, thank you!" Apple cried happily, placing a soft peck on her companion's tiny head. She eased it down to the floor and it quickly headed for Headmaster Grimm's locked door. The rest of the mice followed it, one after another, and they each slid through the one-inch gap above the floor with relative ease. There were some scratching noises, scuttling, and a few agitated squeaks, but several seconds later the large oak door unlocked with a click, and was pushed open by a team of six spotted mice.

Apple knelt down again, personally thanking each mouse for the favor. When she stood up, she was met with raised eyebrows and shocked expressions. "What?" she said, "I thought I could channel some of my inner-Blondie."

"I don't mean to stare," said Cedar, "But, I never really thought of you as a girl who picks locks and has animal minions. Then again, I guess you can get anything you want if you just bat your eyes for it."

Apple chewed her lip, knowing the words sounded harsher than they intended to be, "Yeah, I guess so…"

They peeked around the door into Grimm's office. The room was a mess. Papers were scattered everywhere, and the books had been knocked from the shelves, lying face down on the floor. A pair of scissors hovered in the air, magically cutting several documents to bits. And huddled in the chair, with his knees pulled up to his chest, was Headmaster Milton Grimm himself. Sweat was dripping from his brow, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Maddie could see the corner of a blanket tucked under his desk. Was he sleeping in here?

"How did you get in here? Get out! I already told you I'm terribly…" The man looked up to see five of his wide-eyed students staring down at him, concern etched into their features. Maddie noticed that his chin was looking a little stubblier than usual. He ran a hand through his graying hair, composing himself.

"...Terribly sorry you have to see me in this state. What do you kids want? ...And wasn't that door locked?"

Daring and Maddie both strode up to the desk at the same time, and the Headmaster had no time to prepare for the flood of words that followed. With Maddie spouting off riddlish every other sentence, and Daring's over-dramatic prose, there was no making sense of anything they were saying. The only word that stood out among them was 'Blondie'.

The Headmaster sighed, "Ah, this is about Ms. Lockes. Yes, I'm quite aware. I've had reporters climbing through the windows trying to talk to me about it. My phone is ringing off the hook, and I haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a week! I'm doing everything I can to handle this mess."

Maddie shook her head, her multicolored curls whipping around her face. "No sir, no excuses! Then hen that sits on rotten eggs, hatch spoiled chicks and crooked legs. There are bigger things afoot!"

Cedar walked up to the desk, knees creaking. "Ever since Blondie was… um, eaten… No one's been feeling safe. Everyone's worried about their destinies, and whether or not something bad will happen! I know that I'm terrified, at least. We need to know what's going on!"

Milton Grimm sighed, shaking his head. "I appreciate you all coming, but I have more pressing matters to attend to. With this recent tragedy and the Legacy Day disaster hanging over our heads, there's no time to get to the bottom of this, my job is to clean up the aftermath."

"But you'll do something if we find anything suspicious, won't you? If we have real, hard evidence will you at least speak to the students about this? It could help put them at ease." Apple said, her voice laced with concern.

The Headmaster waved his hand "Yes, yes of course I'll get right on that after I finish with everything here. Now, off with you. And shut the door on your way out! If another reporter slips their way in here I'll tear my own hair out."

The quintet left the office, none of them feeling triumphant. Their shoulders slumped, and their eyes were cast downwards. Maddie could see her friends wanted so badly to be helpful. She truly loved that about them, how they all rushed to help whenever they felt the school was in danger. The least she could do was cheer them up when they were less-than-chipper. Squaring her shoulders to raise herself up to her maximum height of five feet and two inches, she pushed a grin onto her face. "Don't look so glum, chums! He's not the only person who can help us. We came here to talk to _Giles_, remember? Not his brother!"

Daring perked up at her works. "Excellent point, Maddie! I'm positive that Giles will give us the information we need The Headmaster was only the icing on the cake."

"Exactly," Maddie chirped, "You don't need icing to have a cake!"

There was a beat of silence before Cedar shrugged and said "Well, she's not wrong."

"Come on, you guys!" Maddie exclaimed, taking the lead as she headed down to the lower levels of the school. The others followed behind her, and though spirits weren't high, their heads were. The five young fairytales were determined to get to the bottom of this, one way or another.


End file.
